2nd Series 01/14 - Grand Day Out
by Laura the infamous B
Summary: It's a beautiful day for a drive


**Grand Day Out**   
by: Laura Boeff

-_You can turn back now. You don't have to do this_,- the small voice in his head begged. Not for the first time this morning.   
-_There are less painful ways to commit suicide_.-   
Ace sighed at the less than charitable argument his thoughts were having with themselves as he stared into the mirror, checking his attire. Perfect, as always. He ran a hand over his jet black hair. Only the white strips at his temples and the white forelock disrupting the shimmering ebony locks, but he didn't mind. It made him, him. And he had made a decision the other day.   
A decision he was going to see through.   
Pulling his cape over his shoulders, Ace left his bedroom, proceeding down the hall of his home. He had decided to do this. Decided it needed to be done and it would best if he did it.   
-_Your funeral!_-   
His brain got in the parting shot as Ace entered the living room, the door sliding silently open as he crossed the threshold. He found Cosmo right where he expected the teen to be. Stretched out on the red couch, legs dangling over the sofa arms, a soda in hand, watching the flipball game on the large TV screen built into the wall.   
Cosmo craned his neck to look over the couch and smiled.   
"Hey, Ace."   
Ace nodded back as he glanced at the young man who was now a permanent fixture in his house. One he couldn't imagine not being there. Bringing Cosmo into his home, and his life, had probably been the best decision Ace felt he had ever made. No, not probably... Definitely.   
-_And today you're making the worst decision of you life_,- his brain announced in a sing-song wail.   
'Oh hush,' he muttered silently back, looking at his young friend.   
Cosmo was suffering another growth spurt. Again. Which meant a whole new set of clothes had to be bought for the teen. All of which tended to be oversized. At first, Ace had thought Cosmo did this with plans of future growth. It wasn't true. The teen simply wore the oversized clothing to hide his rather slender frame. Cosmo was rather self conscious about his build, preferring to hide it under the bulky clothing. Ace had felt a slight twinge of sadness at that, but let it past. The teen was young and Ace remembered his own insecurities at that age, when he was all elbows and knees. Having gained his height long before he gained his large, muscular build. In time, Cosmo would fill out as well, and perhaps be less conscientious about his thinness. A slenderness the newest growth spurt only made more apparent, the teen's last haircut not helping his overall appearance either. The stylist had taken a touch to much off the top, making Cosmo's hair look more spiky and less massive than normal.   
Oh, had the teen raised the roof! It was the first time Ace had seen Cosmo tear into someone, and damn, if the kid couldn't do it when the right opportunity presented itself. Ace chuckled. The hair would grow back, but Cosmo swore up and down he was never, ever going to get another haircut as long as he lived. And knowing Cosmo, he would certainly try to uphold that promise.   
"You free?" Ace asked, pausing behind the couch. Cosmo looked up with a slightly surprised quirk to his brow. Then he shrugged and grinned.   
"Sure. Whatcha need?"   
Ace didn't answer, but smiled mysteriously and nodded.   
"Come on," he said simply, heading toward the door. Frowning at Ace's mysterious request, Cosmo scrambled over the couch, the soda and the game forgotten, snagging his jacket and pelting after the older man.   
"What's up, Ace?" Cosmo asked, trying to hide his curiosity and excitement as he caught up. And not doing a very good job of it. Ace just smiled, Cosmo trying to match his long legged stride as they entered the vehicle bay, a slight flick of his wrist raising the canopy to the Magic Racer.   
"Get in," he ordered, still grinning as Cosmo glared up at him. Ace kept smiling as Cosmo tried to glean some kind of information from the magician's face. He let out a snort in the end.   
"You're up to something!" he declared, though it didn't keep the young teen from climbing into the backseat of the Racer.   
-_You're trying to get yourself killed is what your trying to do_,- his brain muttered.   
'Probably,' he admitted to the accusation.   
Saying nothing to Cosmo's declaration, Ace took to the drivers seat, pausing as the safety straps came over his chest and the canopy lowered. Cosmo leaned forward, pressed against the back of his seat and trying to look at Ace.   
"What's up, man?" he demanded, curious and excited. "Where are we going?"   
"You'll see," Ace relented that much as the Racer's engine roared to life.   
"Man," Cosmo muttered, falling back into his seat as the Racer launched from the Magic Express, arms crossing his chest in a huff.   
The conversation was very one sided as the Racer moved through the heavy, congested traffic of downtown Electro City. Cosmo doing most of the talking. Actually, most of the demanding. Trying to pry, cajole or just plain beg the information out of his guardian about what the older man was up to.   
It wasn't working

Cosmo knew, just knew Ace had a surprise for him. Ace did this when he wanted to give something to Cosmo. Something special and it drove him right up the wall.   
He glared.   
Probably why Ace did it. Giving the gift was only part of the fun for the magician. Making the receiver of the gift squirm in anticipation was the other part.   
Damn, and he was squirming! What was Ace up to? It was something good. Ace didn't just smile like that for nothing. And it was one of his best smiles. One of the warm, playfully sneaky ones. Cosmo liked those the best. Not like the smiles he used in public. For guests or interviews, but the ones he used with friends. The honest ones. The private ones. And he got to see them. Ace would smile at him like he mattered, like he was a friend too. Well, Ace was his friend. Cosmo knew that, but still... It made him feel good all the same.   
"You're killing me, man," he groused, slouching back in the seat and glaring at the rear view mirror. Ace laughed lightly and his smile widened just a touch.   
Yea, his curiosity was killing him and Ace knew it. Damn the man. He wanted to know what was up! And Ace wouldn't tell him till the older man was good and ready. Cosmo couldn't think of one person on the whole planet more stubborn than Ace. Not a one. And when Ace made up his mind to do something his way. It was going to be *his* way.   
Cosmo sighed and tried to not act as excited as he felt.   
Nope.   
No way.   
But man.....

Ace smiled as he glanced in the mirror. Cosmo was trying to ignore him. Trying to be the picture of indifference. It still wasn't working. The teenager knew something was up and wanted to know more. Needed to. Cosmo's curiosity was boundless. As evidenced by everything he'd taken apart and put back together in the Express: simply because Ace would let him. No.. Cosmo hated secrets. Hating it doubly so when it was Ace keeping the secret.   
He chuckled softly to himself. Not much longer. The cat would be out of the bag soon as they left the city limits, passing through the thinning urban countryside. Silence now pervading the Racer, the roar of the engine the only noise as Cosmo brooded in silence.   
"We're here," Ace announced, pulling the Racer off the road and into the desert proper. Cosmo jerked and looked out in confusion. There was nothing here. Absolute nothing. Sand, wind and tumble weeds. A lot of tumble weeds.   
-_Last chance to run_,- his argumentative thoughts announced. Ace sighed and ignored them, opening the canopy as Cosmo glared about. Undoubtedly the young man was disappointed, as well as annoyed. This, was not what he had expected, Ace was sure of it.   
Ace leapt clear of the car, sand stirring as his feet touched down, the warm desert wind rustling his cape and a fine coating of dust starting to settle on the black fabric.   
"Okay, bud. What's up?" Cosmo demanded, making a point of staying in the Racer's back seat. Ace chuckled and leaned against the car's broad side, addressing his young charge.   
"You just had your sixteenth birthday, right?" he asked. Cosmo's glare deepened.   
"You know that, dude. You took me out to dinner."   
Ace nodded. He had. To one of the finest restaurants in town. Cosmo had been nervous at first, fidgeting in the splendor and wealth around him. The dress suite hadn't helped any. Also another first for Cosmo. Formal wear. But he had relaxed at last and enjoyed the dinner. Cosmo needed to get used to such things. They were part and parcel to Ace's life and the young man was getting old enough to start accompanying him to his late night banquets and affairs. So, the dinner was a good starting point.   
"So what's that have to do with us being out in the middle of nowhere, dude?" Cosmo huffed. Ace's smile widened, mirth dancing in his eyes.   
"Well.. now that your sixteen, I thought it was time you learn how to drive the Racer. You're going to need to drive something if you're going to get you license," Ace went on airily, as if stating the obvious.   
A thirty pound brick couldn't have hit the teen harder. Cosmo sat there, arms dropping to his side as his mouth hung open. Shock, pure unadulterated shock, shone in his eyes. Breathing seemed to be the only function his brain could handle at the moment.   
"The Racer," he mumbled at last. "You're.. going to let me drive.. the Racer?"   
Ace nodded and grinned.

Cosmo was numb. Oh man... Ace.. he was really.. he was going to.. Oh man! Cosmo knew he was grinning like an idiot. He didn't care either. Ace was going to let him drive the Racer! Ace trusted him enough to actually let him get behind the wheel of the mammoth machine. And more, Ace was going to teach him. Warmth suffused every inch of his body. Ace was going to teach him. Like... well.. like a father.. well at least.....   
Cosmo couldn't think it. He might feel it, but he just couldn't think it. But he still felt warmed and amazed all the same.   
The Racer. He was going to drive the Racer. Oh man!

Ace quietly watched the flitting emotions play over his young friend's face, basking in the pleasant warmth that filled him at the sight. Amazement, awe and joy. All came and went as Cosmo realized just what Ace was up to. At last he seemed to snap out of his daze, grinning madly, a slightly insane gleam to his eyes.   
'Uh oh.'   
-_I warned you_,- his brain groused.   
Ace sighed. He had expected that slightly insane grin. What young man wouldn't feel that way at the idea of being behind the wheel of a veritable supercharged tank? He knew he'd worn that look a time or two himself, and he was a far cry from sixteen anymore.   
"Get up front."   
Ace didn't need to say it twice. Cosmo fairly flew into the front seat, bouncing against the seat as the restraining straps came over his chest, locking down. Ace couldn't help but grin as the teen wrapped his hands around the control yoke, fingers curling and uncurling around the handles in barely restrained excitement. The smile on the young man's face banished any further doubts he may have had at whether this was a good idea or not.   
"Can you reach everything?" he asked, peering to see if Cosmo could.   
He glared back at him. "I'm not that short, Ace."   
"Yes, but you are shorter than me," Ace returned with a chuckle, making a small adjustment that moved the seat forward.   
"Better?"   
"Yea." Cosmo looked at the floor pedals where his feet rested. "I can reach everything. Now what?" The red haired boy was absolutely beaming.   
"Okay, the basics. Break, accelerator, never hit them both at the same time." Cosmo rolled his eyes, but Ace ignored him.   
"That's your lifter and landing switch. The headlights, the speedometer, please check it on occasion." Cosmo laughed as he continued his explanation of the Racer's basic controls. "Those are just the system controls. You don't need to worry about them yet."   
"Come on, Ace. Tell me everything," Cosmo interjected. Ace smiled, Cosmo never wanted to learn things part way. Especially anything vaguely technical. So, Ace explained everything, and found himself questioned as well as Cosmo veritably sucked him dry of every ounce of information he had on the machine.   
"Okay. I think we're ready for a first try," Ace announced before the young man could come up with yet another question. His declaration silenced any other inquiry Cosmo could think of as the magician hopped into the back seat, feeling a flutter of fear at the unfamiliar position. It was not something he was accustomed to. Someone else being in control. He chided himself for the niggling dread. This was Cosmo, his partner, the young man who assisted in his shows with amazing competence. What could possibly go wrong?   
-_Don't ask_,- his brain piped up cheerfully. Ace glared at the rogue thought as he leaned forward, looking over the seat.   
"Canopy," he suggested. Cosmo jumped.   
"Yea, okay." He found the right control on the first attempt. So he really had been paying attention and not just nodding out of habit. Good. The canopy dropped down and sealed with a soft click.   
"Now what?" Ace questioned. Cosmo chewed his lower lip and looked at the controls.   
"Okay, first I start her up, then I activate the lifters," he stated, more than ask. Ace nodded as Cosmo did just as he had said. The Racer's engine growled to life, a roar that steadied to a low rumble. There was a slight hiss and the machine rocked ever so slightly as the wheels retracted. They were up and running. For better or worse.   
-_Worse!_- his nasty little conscious declared.   
Ace looked to Cosmo and saw the young man no longer smiling, but staring out of the front window with a touch of trepidation and fear. His fingers tightened on the control yoke a touch more, the knuckles starting to become white.   
"Relax, Cosmo," Ace suggested kindly. "The Racer does not require a death grip to control."   
Cosmo blushed slightly. "Yea, right," he mumbled, forcing his hands to relax on the yoke. Just a little. Ace sighed and smiled.   
"Okay, hit the accelerator, slowly."   
Ace discovered the vast difference between his idea of slowly and Cosmo's. The Racer lunged forward, engine roaring with the sudden demand for power as Cosmo's foot touch heavily on the pedal. Ace let out a cry as he was thrown back, fear shooting through him as the world became a momentary blur around them.   
"Whoa shit!" Was Cosmo's announcement to the sudden shift, as the teen, in a panic, hit the brake, the mammoth machine sliding as it went from full forward to full stop.   
For a second there was no sound above the null-grav car's engine and the magician and his assistant gasping for breath.   
-_Told you_.-   
Ace snorted as his heart pounded way too fast for his own comfort. Cosmo didn't look any better. He was pale as a sheet as Ace rocked forward, looking into the front seat.   
"You okay?" he asked as Cosmo finally stopped hyperventilating. Cosmo turned toward him, eyes wide.   
"No wonder you drive like crap, Ace. This thing is sensitive!" Cosmo exclaimed, his face a mixture of shock and delight.   
"Yes, it is sensitive, and no, I don't drive like crap," Ace retorted. Cosmo grinned over his shoulder.   
"That's not what Vega says."   
"And when did you ever listen to Vega?"   
The grin just got wider and Ace fumed.   
"Look. Who's getting the lesson here?" Ace demanded in aggravation.   
"Maybe I should ask Vega, probably be safer," Cosmo mutter conversationally to himself as he made a point of studying the controls. Ace absolutely fumed.   
"Do you want to learn or not?" he shot back.   
Cosmo looked up, amusement dancing in his eyes. It was then Ace realized the teen was teasing him, pulling his leg. It was something Cosmo had only recently started doing. His humor had always been rather subdued around Ace and he never once had he done anything that had made fun of Ace. That had started changing. A barrier had been passed. Ace had broken down another wall in the young man's defenses. Another wall destroyed that finally made Cosmo unafraid to pull his older partner's leg a little. Warmth unfurled in Ace's chest. Of course this now meant he was on the receiving end of the teen's rather wicked sense of humor, but still...   
It was worth it.   
Cosmo chuckle. "Of course I want to learn! Okay, okay, I won't rag on your driving if you won't rag on my," he relented, still grinning. Ace wanted to glower, but his heart wasn't in it in the least as a chuckle ruined the intention. Cosmo actually was teasing him. It was amazing.   
"Fair," he pronounced. "Okay. How about we try again?"   
"Feeling suicidal, eh?" Cosmo laughed.   
Ace snorted. "Apparently. And this time I mean it when I say, slowly."   
"I was slow." Was the protest.   
"Try slower," Ace shot back.   
Cosmo sighed and nodded.   
This time he achieved slow. The Racer started forward at a definitely less hurried pace, though it didn't seem to make any difference to his heart. Just moving raised his blood pressure as Ace watched Cosmo's actions carefully. As the desert started to slide by at a leisurely pace the young man's worried frown became a hesitant smile as he turned the steering yoke, first a little left, then a little right. The Racer swayed gently, not really deviating any from its forward course.   
"This is so cool," he announced with a laugh. Ace smiled, feeling a warm pride suffuse him at the announcement.   
Cosmo dared to glance at him. Just for a moment, almost petrified to take his eyes off the terrain in front of them for a second.   
"Can I try faster?" he asked hopefully.   
For some reason, Ace heard death taps play in his head, but nodded.   
"A little, relax your grip. You don't need to hold the steering so tight," he pointed out. Cosmo nodded, licked his lips and tried to relax his hands as his foot lowered a touch more. The Racer responded surely, the speed increasing.   
This time Cosmo let out a delighted whoop.   
"Oh man!" he declared. Ace couldn't help but laugh with him. This was going much better then he had dared hope. Much better.   
"Try to turn, slowly. Keep your eyes right," he suggested. Cosmo took him up on it and the Racer lurched right.   
"Whoa," Cosmo yelped, trying to steady the suddenly shuddering machine.   
"Easy, Cosmo. This is a big car, it turns good, but not on a dime," Ace explained as they made a less the graceful right. Cosmo kept the wheel turned, experimenting as they circled in tighter and tighter formation.   
"Hey, I think I'm getting this," Cosmo proclaimed, pulling them left. The machine lurched, though not as badly, as Cosmo repeated his turn.   
"Yea, I am ge... ouff!" A jolt rocketed through the Racer as it clipped a low lying rock, a metallic shriek running through the canopy. Cosmo let out a frightened gasp and brought them to a screaming halt in a panic. Foot slamming the brake against the floor.   
"Oh man. Ace. I'm sorry," he gasped, fighting to find the canopy release. He hit the windshield wipers by accident.   
"Easy, Cosmo, easy." Ace caught his hand before the boy could accidentally hit emergency release. Cosmo stared at him in a panic, the joy of earlier being washed away by his little side swipe, fear now raging in the young face. Ace reached over and hit the canopy release, climbing out as the young man scrambled to join him.   
The scattered remains of the rock were trailing behind the large machine and thin, scraping tendrils cut through the paint, revealing the metal beneath. On the whole, little damage had been done.   
"Oh.. man," Cosmo whispered in dread at the sight, looking absolutely miserable. Ace sighed. At least Cosmo felt guilty at the damage, truly accidentally caused. Not that Cosmo had ever been deliberately careless with his possessions before, but it further assured Ace that the young man would take care the Racer. And in doing so, take care of himself.

'Oh man.' Cosmo stared at the dent in the Racer's side. Stupid, he'd been so stupid and careless! Fingers clenching into fists, Cosmo just stared. Ace would never let him touch the car again. Not after this. He hadn't meant to, he really hadn't but...   
'Oh man.' Cosmo suddenly wished he'd kept his butt on the couch. Ace had tried to do something nice for him. Was doing something nice for him and how did he pay him back? He put a dent in the car. He hadn't meant to, he hadn't honestly seen the rock till a second before they hit it in the slow turn, but that was no excuse. He had hit it, with Ace's car.   
Damn.   
Trembling, Cosmo couldn't bring himself to look directly at Ace, but snuck quick glances. Praying Ace wasn't too mad at him. Praying that the older man wasn't pissed.   
Ace let out a soft sigh and smiled gently. Craning his head a touch to catch Cosmo's eyes. Cosmo dodged him at first, uncertain. Ace didn't look pissed. Didn't look mad or annoyed. Not that Ace normally did whenever he messed up. But then, he'd never dented the car before either.   
"It's okay, Cosmo," Ace assured mildly, patting him on the shoulder. "This is the Racer after all. It's taken far worse hits."   
Cosmo gulped and licked his lips.   
"But.. Ace. I'm sorry! I didn't meant to.."   
Ace raised his hand, stemming the apology.   
"I know, Cosmo. I know it was an accident and it is okay. Here."   
Cosmo watched numbly as Ace bent over and ran his hand along the length of the damaged panel. Where his fingers past, blue light trailed, trickling over the damaged area and the scrape magically dissolved, leaving the Racer's side whole again.   
Cosmo stared, then tentatively reached out, and touched the previously damaged area. Smooth and flawless. It was like he had never hit the rock. He knew Ace could work magic. Real magic, but.. wow! It still floored him when his partner did that.   
"Whoa," he murmured in awe. Ace patted him on the shoulder again, both in reassurance and as a request for his attention.   
"This doesn't mean you can run the Racer into walls, Cosmo," Ace pointed out seriously as he looked up. "I can repair the machine, I can't repair the person inside."   
Cosmo stared up at him, slowly realizing what Ace's real worry was. The magician really wasn't mad about the car. And didn't seem to have any future worries about it either. His true concern was for him. It really was. A shy smile came to Cosmo's face and he nodded slowly.   
"I.. I'll try not to take out any buildings, Ace. I am sorry," he murmured around his small smile. Ace was so cool.

Ace clapped Cosmo on the back, urging him back to the Racer's canopy.   
"It's okay. There always seem to be a few bumps when you're learning," he assured lightly. Cosmo paused and looked up at him, eyes not quite locking on his.   
"Thanks, Ace. Thanks for teaching me how to drive," he murmured with a slight blush. Embarrassed by his own emotions. Ace smiled and rested his hand on the thin shoulder. The worried voice in his brain had finally shut up as he smiled down.   
"You're welcome," he said simply. "Want to keep practicing?"   
That brought out a grin in the teen and this time he meet his gaze.   
"Still feeling suicidal, eh?'   
Ace laughed.   
"Apparently. Come on."   
Cosmo scrambled into the front seat and Ace in the back again. The Racer earning a good coat of desert dust as they plowed throughout the arid country side till the setting of the sun.   



End file.
